With Freedom Came My Hero
by JuseaPeterson
Summary: Mike and Haley fluff. Happens in between Escape the Lost Galaxy and A Journey's End 1. The two talk.


Disclaimer: I own nothing.

_Author's Note: This is a drabble for my big sister Lauren. I know I'm still working on the other stories, but I had to get this down. This takes place between Escape The Lost Galaxy and A Journey's End 1. The title and a bit of it kind of has to do with a music video I did for them, so…if you want to watch it: Freedom Came My Hero_

Haley sat on the bench and watched as all the people hurried everywhere they needed to go. It was weird to think that just last week she had been a slave and now, now thanks to Mike she, along with the rest of the slaves including her grandfather, were free. She looked down at her clothes that had been provided by Terra Venture. They were simple jeans, and a red shirt with a design of some sort on the bottom left. Her grandfather was still recuperating; he had been hurt more seriously than they had thought from the guards. Apparently the adrenaline is what kept him going. All of Terra Venture had been really nice to all of the former slaves, helping them with places to live, food to eat and clothes to wear.

Haley looked up at the sky. She knew that it was space out there, but she still loved to look at it. The brunette found that she wanted to do little things that didn't mean all that much. She would sit and stare at the sky. Sometimes she would watch the trees; everything was different when you were a slave on a barren planet. Freedom, she felt it as the artificial wind swept through her hair. She closed her eyes taking in all the sounds of the people. She wasn't sure how she would contribute to this society yet, but she was going to, but until that day she was going to enjoy this freedom.

"Hey." A familiar voice spoke as someone sat next to her. She turned and found herself face to face with a young man in his twenties, in a blue uniform—although his muscles still seemed to somehow accentuate through the material—and dark brown almost black hair with warm, inviting brown eyes, "How are you today?"

Haley smiled at Mike, "I'm doing good. What about you? You feel better?"

Mike gave a faint laugh that melted into a smile, "I'm all better."

"You look better."

The ex-Magna Defender looked out towards the street, "So what have you been doing today?"

"Sitting."

He raised an eyebrow, "Just sitting?"

"Enjoying this." She waved her arms towards the city, the air, the trees, everything.

"You mean freedom?"

This time it was the girl's turn to smile, "Yes. Freedom."

All Mike did was nod and the two sat there enjoying the sites for a little bit more. "How's your grandfather today?"

"He's doing much better thanks."

"I'm glad." Mike looked down at his hands and then back out at the street. "So, are you hungry?" Haley thought about it for a minute before nodding. "Then let's go get something to eat." The man responsible for her freedom, the one who selflessly put his own life on the line for others stood up and held out his hand towards her. She smiled and slowly took it allowing him to help her up. "I know a place you'll love."

"Another place?"

"Yes. This one is different. Come on."

"Look you've already taken me out a few times since I've been here, and I've been here a week. I can't let you keep doing this."

A smile crossed the older mans' features. "Trust me, it wasn't a big deal."

"But it really is, and I—"

"When you get a chance you can take me to dinner, or whichever. But for now, let me do this." She looked into his warm brown eyes. She loved looking in them. She had found herself having stronger feelings for Mike. Feelings that allowed her to swallow her pride and let him pay for dinner. To help her and her Grandfather out. Yet at the same time, she wished she could still hold her head high like she had done when she wasn't dependent on others. When a hero hadn't come along. "Haley. Listen. I know that you would love to be able to do this yourself, but, for now, don't worry about it." She slowly nodded and followed him through the streets.

She allowed her thoughts to continue drifting. She thought about how for dinner they were given stuff that couldn't really be considered as food, and yet here she got many choices of food. She looked up at the strong man beside her and realized just how grateful she was that they had entered the lost galaxy a few weeks ago. She remembered faintly the stories her mother told her when she was still a little kid about knights in shining armor and heroes. She had found all those thoughts from her youth had vanished under the constant slavery from Captain Mutiny. Those fantasy thoughts left her but they had been replaced by a strong independent determination to not allow anyone control her already controlled life. Then he came along. Mike looked down at her, "We're here."

After they sat down in a secluded part of the restaurant they ate, much in silence, but talking here and there about the day. Their conversation really started to pick up towards the end of dinner. They ended up sitting at the table talking until the manager told them that it was closing. Being the gentleman that he was Mike walked her back to the place that her and her grandfather occupied.

"Thank you so much. I had a really great time."

"I did too." Mike smiled as he tucked some of her hair behind her ear stroking her cheek in the process. The simple touch caused her skin to start heating up. She smiled at him. He leaned down towards her and their lips touched ever so lightly. It was a brief kiss but it was a moment that neither would forget. They both slowly pulled away. Mike looking deep in her eyes spoke first, "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yes."

After saying good night Haley went inside to find that her heart was beating all too loud. She once more had the stories her mom told her when she was younger about knights in shining armor and heroes who came along to save the day come rushing into her head. She wasn't sure about the knight in shining armor, and she knew that she was no damsel in distress, but she knew that she had found her hero.


End file.
